BMW 330i Sedan vs BMW 330i Touring

A 3-Series BMW is not trying to steal a Toyota Camry’s customers, it’s Mercedes-Benz C-Class buyers it wants to seduce. Thinking of it that way the 330i compared to higher level Beemers is well equipped for the cash. Coming standard is leather upholstery, 8.8-inch display with satnav, surround view cameras including reversing camera, digital radio and Harman/Kardon sound system, head-up display, adaptive suspension, lane departure and collision warning, proximity unlocking and 19-inch alloys.

Both cars have identical standard features but BMW wants $3400 more for the Touring because it has a larger boot. At 495 litres, the Touring’s boot size is 15 litres bigger than the sedan’s. But what that doesn’t tell you is how cavernous the wagon becomes when the rear seats are folded flat giving you 1500 litres of space – 50 litres less than the BMW’s X1 SUV.

The 3-Series was given a facelift in 2015 which brought with it a refreshed front and rear with sharper lines, and redesigned LED headlights and taillights. It’s an imposing, sleek-looking beast – made even tougher looking thanks to the M Sport Package which was fitted to our cars. Inside, the clean lines continue with BMW’s comfortable, but not overly plush, cabin styling. The back seats offer passengers plenty of head and legroom.

Along with the increased versatility and carrying capacity a wagon offers, there’s extra headroom, too, because the roofline doesn’t fall away like the sedan’s. Rear passengers have an extra 16mm which not only makes a difference to those over 6ft, but it also helps with loading children into car seats. The assertive 3-Series styling works well when applied to the Touring too and there’s something appealing about a sporty looking wagon

BMW’s 185kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder is a great piece of machinery and feels so strong you could swear it’s a six-cylinder. Transmission is the bulletproof eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. Fuel economy is excellent at 5.8L/100km.

The Touring gets the same brilliant turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine and eight-speed auto as the Sedan, but being 75kg heavier uses more fuel at 6.1L/100km which is still very respectable for a wagon this size.

The sedan has a five-star ANCAP crash rating. It’s armed to the hilt with safety equipment including stability and traction control, ABS and BMW’s emergency call which puts the occupants in contact with emergency services if an airbag is deployed.

The Touring has a five-star ANCAP rating and the same suite of safety equipment as the sedan. The Driver Assistant package includes and vehicle and pedestrian detection function which brakes automatically if it senses an impending collision.

The 330i Sedan is a bit of a secret weapon – it looks fairly conservative, but it can fling itself from 0-100km/h in 5.8 seconds, that’s the same as the current Porsche Boxster - and it’s a four-door family car. The driving position place the hips low and feels spot on, the steering is light but natural and handling is impressive, all while offering a great ride even on the low –profile 19-inch rims.

If the sedan is a secret weapon because it looks like an accountant’s car that’s as quick as a Porsche Boxster, then the Touring is an undercover hero. Being a tad heavier, 0-100km/h comes in 5.9 seconds, but that’s still quick enough to shatter any misconceptions held by somebody who pulls up next to you at the lights thinking it’s just a sprog hauler. Again accurate steering and an incredibly dynamic vehicle.